I’m the kind of person who prefers spending time hiking in the mountains rather than lying on a beach. My wife feels the same way. That’s why I’ve only been to the seaside a few times in my life — including once without my wife. The last time was in 2019, when we went together to Sopot. After several years’ break, we decided to visit the seaside again. This time, we travelled as a bigger family and once again in September, but to the Vistula Spit.
Trip to the Vistula Spit
Going to the seaside with a two‑year‑old child at the end of September was a decision we debated for quite a while. Mainly because we weren’t sure what we would do there if the weather turned bad. Eventually, we decided to give it a try and figure things out on the spot if needed.
We chose Kąty Rybackie as our base. We found an apartment at a good price, close to the Vistula Lagoon but far from the beach on the Gulf of Gdańsk. It’s generally difficult to find accommodation right by the beach there anyway.
We set off on Friday before Jaś’s nap. On the way, we wondered whether to stop in Elbląg for a walk or leave it for the return trip. The choice also depended on when Jaś would wake up.
The drive went fairly quickly. Only the initial section of the S7 under construction between Warsaw and Płońsk was a bit slow, but afterwards the road was smooth and we stopped only in Pasłęk for lunch. Jaś was already awake, and it was close to his lunchtime.
Unfortunately, the weather in the area started to deteriorate. So during lunch we decided to head straight to the Vistula Spit, as we probably wouldn’t be able to walk around Elbląg in the rain. The rest of the drive was indeed rainy.
When we left the S7 in Nowy Dwór Gdański and headed toward Stegna, we discovered that regional road 502 was under renovation. It was passable, but in several places we had to wait in long queues because of alternating one‑way traffic. Jaś was already getting bored.
Stegna
We had to pick up the keys to our apartment in Kąty Rybackie at the office of the property manager — Nadmorskie Centrum Nieruchomości Komercyjnych (NCNK), located in Stegna. So we couldn’t drive straight to Kąty Rybackie.
In Stegna we found a parking spot near one of the discount stores. We noticed that nothing much was happening anymore — bars, taverns, cafés, and restaurants were closed. Some shops and stalls were still operating. Even ATMs were being removed that day.
It wasn’t raining at the moment, so the three of us walked to a nearby playground. My wife and Jaś stayed there, while I went to pick up the keys. It went quickly and I returned to them.
We stayed at the playground for a bit longer. Soon it started raining again, so I picked Jaś up and ran to the nearest souvenir shop to take shelter. We looked around to see if anything might be useful, but found nothing interesting.
When the rain stopped, we returned to the car to grab a shopping bag and went into the discount store to buy basic groceries. Fortunately, they had everything we needed for the trip.
First afternoon in Kąty Rybackie
rom Stegna we drove straight to Kąty Rybackie, where we had booked a room at Apartamenty Mierzeja on Portowa Street 2. Our room was on the first floor with a view of the Vistula Lagoon. If it had been higher, the view would probably have been more impressive — as it was, we couldn’t see much.
The room itself was a decent size. We had a bed, a sofa, a small kitchen with basic equipment, and a balcony. It was clean and quiet. We enjoyed our stay, so we’d probably return here in the future.
Once we settled in, the weather calmed down. We still had a few hours until sunset, so we decided to go for a walk.
Since my wife was still getting ready and Jaś was full of energy, I took him for a short walk around the area. We went to the port, and soon my wife joined us. Together we headed toward the beach.
After a longer walk, we reached the beach. There were very few people, so we could stroll peacefully — even along the water, as it was fairly warm.
Jaś was thrilled when he saw so much sand. We spent a lot of time playing in it and running away from the waves. We also played with a kite, which I had promised him. It was wonderful.
We stayed at the seaside for quite a while. Jaś was already tired from all the fun and impressions. It was also getting close to his dinner and bedtime. We decided to head back. He fell asleep on the way, which usually means either a late bedtime or early waking — but neither happened. He was so exhausted that he slept soundly through the night.
The Vistula Spit Canal
The next day, right after breakfast, we went to the Vistula Spit Canal. There’s a parking lot there where we left the car. The wind was already quite strong, but we took the stroller and went for a walk.
First, we climbed the hill with the viewing terrace, then went down to the beach near the eastern breakwater of the outer harbour — the northern part of the spit. In the meantime, we watched a ship passing through the canal. It took a very long time.
We spent a lot of time on the beach near the northern breakwater, on the Krynica Morska side, where it was difficult to walk with a stroller. Jaś had a great time and eventually got tired, so we started heading back so he could nap in the stroller. We walked into the forest, hoping for a peaceful stroll, but the forest paths were full of sand, making it hard to push the stroller. We returned to the canal, where the paved walkway allowed us to cross to the other side of the spit.
When we reached the end of the southern breakwater, Jaś woke up. We had planned to drive from there to Krynica Morska — our last visit there had been twenty years earlier — but the traffic jam we saw from the canal discouraged us.
Leaving the crowded parking lot, we returned to Kąty Rybackie, watching how long the queue to Krynica Morska was. We didn’t stop at our apartment but drove straight to the beach. The free parking spots were already taken, so we entered the paid parking lot.
Beach in Kąty Rybackie
Before going to the beach, we stopped at the only place still serving meals — the Wielorybek fish bar. We didn’t order fish, which in hindsight was a pity, but instead had huge and tasty “Gypsy-style” potato pancakes. Jaś ate his lunch too, which we had prepared earlier and kept warm in a thermos. We also ordered fries for him.
After lunch, we went to the beach, spread out our towel and — of course — set up a windbreak. Then we started playing in the sand and more. It was probably the last warm day of the year, so we spent a lot of time in the water with Jaś. We jumped over waves and played with a ball.
It was even more wonderful than the previous day. I never expected that at the end of September I would be swimming in the sea — and enjoying the seaside so much. But evening was approaching, so we had to end this idyllic time and return to our room. The next day we had to head home.
We spent an amazing time on the Vistula Spit. It was so great that I decided we should come here more often — especially seeing how happy Jaś was and how much fun we had together.
Elbląg
We started our journey home as early as possible. We planned the return so that Jaś could nap — but only after a walk around Elbląg.
We had been to Elbląg once before. Six years earlier, on our bus trip to Sopot, we had a short stop at the bus station. We saw the Old Town only from the bus window, but since then we had planned to visit properly.
We reached Elbląg quickly. Road 502 had already been repaired, and at that time of day the city was still quiet. We parked on Mostowa Street and began our walk.
First, we walked through Cathedral Square. Then we crossed the High Bridge over the Gdańsk Embankment. Walking along the canal, passing wooden sculptures, we reached the Low Bridge. We returned to the Zygmunt August Boulevard and from there walked along Studzienna Street to the Old Market Square.
On the Old Market Square we found the Fit Cake café, where we bought some sweets to take home and delicious ice cream for all three of us. We chose this place not because of a fit or keto lifestyle, but because of Jaś’s diet — he could safely eat what they offered.
Elbląg, just as I expected, has a beautiful Old Town with stunning townhouses. It’s also not crowded, so it’s a great place to spend time. We enjoyed our visit very much. I’m glad we stopped here, even briefly. But we had to leave, as Jaś needed his nap.
Return home
We returned home tired but extremely happy with the trip. It was fantastic, and I think we’ll need to visit the seaside more often. Worse weather shouldn’t bother Jaś — all he needs is the sight of a sea of sand.
Our Travels
I encourage you to read my posts about trips with my wife, including hikes to peaks that are part of the Crown of Polish Mountains. You can find them at: likoton.pl/category/podroze